Shop led lighting
 

When I built my house with attached shop 18 years ago, for the tall ceiling I used what was recommended, metal halide I believe. Recently several have died, and I never did like the buzzing sound. Now I'm ready to replace all and what I'm hearing is that I should be looking at High Bay LED lights. Just wondering if any of you guys have gone with this sort of lighting. Any recommendations or comments most welcome.

THANKS!

Re: Shop led lighting
 

Hi; Retired electrician here... The new Leds are fantastic, I installed High bay t-5s [flor] and did not like the heat they produced. T-8s [Flor] with electronic ballasts can be converted to Led T-8s by just replacement. Note the 'brightness' ratings in Lumuns. Your eyes maybe sensitive. Newc

Re: Shop led lighting
 

Yep, took out all the florescents and replaced with LED.
All purchased on line (EBAY)
Daylight color.
The ceiling is 10 foot and they look great.
The 8 ft fixtures I removed weighed about 15 pounds each.

Re: Shop led lighting
 

Whenever I lose a fluorescent tube, I convert that fixture to led's. I'm about half converted now. I think they're great.

Re: Shop led lighting
 

Thanks for the responses guys. 51 MERC any info on the units you used, such as watts, lummens ? I'm interested in round lights that can hang from existing hooks.


Scott

Re: Shop led lighting
 

I replaced all the fluorescent fixtures in my shop with LED fixtures I bought at Costco. The complete units were cheaper than converting the fluorescent ones to LED.

Re: Shop led lighting
 

Be aware that some of the bargain priced LEDs are low on lumens output. I think my present t-8 bulbs are about 2300 L per bulb. I have bought some single single bulb LED fixtures for over the workbenches that are rated at 5000 L .

Re: Shop led lighting
 

I work for the local school system, we have been converting high bay light in gyms to LED, in one we used a conversation that uses the fixture and wires around the ballast. The light is intense as stated, we used Creed in one and Lithonia in a couple more, the light output is great. If you choose the right lumen you will be amazed.

Re: Shop led lighting
 

Like 5150 I replaced the whole fixtures. The LEDs are bright!

Re: Shop led lighting
 

I replaced my 8' fluorescents with LEDs about four years ago and they are fantastic! Especially good for instant startup in my cold Maine garage. When I expanded my garage last year I bought more lights from the same company, made in USA and excellent quality.


https://www.hyperikon.com/led/


I used this site's tool to determine lighting requirements:


http://www.visual-3d.com/tools/interior/default.aspx

Re: Shop led lighting
 

I also replaced all of my florescent lights with LEDs. What a difference! Instant on, even in cold weather, no noise, twice as bright as before...I can see in the garage now. And they are cheaper to operate, plus last much longer so I am told.
So, whats not to love? Switch over. I wonder why I waited so long.

Re: Shop led lighting
 

I replaced my old shop lights with the clear leds last fall, had mixed results. Had to buy darker sunglasses https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/images/icons/icon6.gif , found tools and parts I thought I lost 25 years ago https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/images/icons/icon7.gif.

Love them. JT

Re: Shop led lighting
 

There are basically two color temps also for most LEDS. Warm (amber) and blue. Blue are very bright and can seem odd in a house, much brighter. I like warm colors for the home and blue/clear light for shop, etc.


I replaced 2 florescent hanging units with 6 100w leds bulbs and the old regular (cheap) incandescent ceramic fixtures (rewire). Doubled my light in the house garage.





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Re: Shop led lighting
 

I replaced all the fluorescent tubes with leds a few years back and i got to choose between Warm-Daylight-Cold for color. Went with daylight since even though the cold seemed much more bright it was kind of sterile.Was told Warm is for living areas and Cold for industrial.
Very happy with the Daylight choice that is in middle.

Re: Shop led lighting
 

Sterile is a very accurate description of blue/cold leds.

Re: Shop led lighting
 

You can save yourself some money by just replacing the lamp. You will have to wire the socket directly with 120/240 voltage you have at the fixture. You leave all the wiring for the ballast, starter, etc. out.

Re: Shop led lighting
 

240 for shop lights? thats like street light voltage

Re: Shop led lighting
 

If you have old magnetic ballasts you can leave them in...the electronic ones has to go.
The led tubes come in 2 types...one has both connections at one end usually the newer dimmable ones are this type...the other type has one connection at each end.

Re: Shop led lighting
 

Leaving the ballasts in the circuit increases the power required for the LEDs, also another source of failure with the ballasts. I went with the ballast bypass type, a little more wiring but worth it to me.

Re: Shop led lighting
 

I tossed all the 4' flourescents in my 30'x40'x12' shop with LEDs from Sams club about 2-years ago. 8 units light it up like daylight immediately even in the coldest weather. I love them and will use them in the new shop I'm building.

Re: Shop led lighting
 

I scrapped all the 4 ft fixtures and put up the same number (as tubes) of those 4 ft linkable LED lights; but in single bulb strips closer spaced than the two bulb fluorescent fixtures had been. No wiring and gave me a chance to paint the ceiling as I went.

I used the lights from ebay that come in "six packs"; just under $10 per light (bought an extra box for matching spares in case of failure).

Can't believe the improvement; brighter and more even.

Re: Shop led lighting
 

Your ceiling height probably would not need high bay fixtures, they are for warehouse use with tall ceilings. To limit the need for extra wiring I would go for a one to one swap. Go on line to 1000bulbs.com or e-conolight.com. there's a lot of choices and reasonable prices. They will even make recommendation based on your dimensions and height.

Re: Shop led lighting
 

Guys, he's not talking about 4' fluorescent tubes. He's talking about Metal Halide.
I mentioned 240 volts because some people wire them that way because they'll run at half the amperage as 120 volt would. The transformers and related parts MUST be left out of the wiring. The socket is wired directly with, let's say for arguments sake, 120 volts. You screw in the LED and you're done! They make them for regular base, like a standard light bulb or the larger mogul base. I've installed tons of these for my customers from parking lots to warehouses to walk in freezers etc. Look em up on line, they're excellent

Re: Shop led lighting
 

I did the same even the Costco part. They are great. I would forget those old fashioned round lights.

Re: Shop led lighting
 

Sams Club has a 4 ft LED shop light on sale for$22.98, $7 off the regular price of $29.98. I’ve replaced nearly all of my fluorescent light with LED’s. They are great!
John

Re: Shop led lighting
 

With the Costco LED tubes, you don't need to buy new fixtures. They are drop in replacements for your old florescent fixtures. Works like a champ. Doesn't need your old ballast either.

Re: Shop led lighting
 

When I built my 30x40x14 I was going to use some metal halide because they are super cheap now since everyone uses T5 and LED lights my electrician said they are junk get dim over time, the buzz ect and he talked me into some GE 1x2' high bay lights they were costly at about $230 each but he installed 6 of them and my garage is like daylight! at first I was worried about brightness but after seeing them im super happy with how they look!

I was also looking at lights at bees lighting if you jump over to the sister forum garage journal they have a entire section to garage lighting.

Re: Shop led lighting
 

Ah okay that makes sense. Amps being the operable word of power usage. I understand sometimes 240 can use less energy then a 120 unit, like lets say a ac wall unit.

I would think leaving the ballast in the system would defeat the biggest reason for leds. Power usage. Seems like wasted energy. I guess still better. (not what you are saying, just previous posts)


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Re: Shop led lighting
 

The helicopter shop I work out of has the HID metal halide type bulbs since the hangar has 18 foot ceilings to be able to lift helicopters off of the trailers. They last around 20,000 hours but we only use them when the weather is dark or on the few overtime occasions that arise. I use a vertical mast hydraulic bucket lift on the rare occasion of having to replace a bulb. I may have to change over to LED if they quit making the HID types and if I do, I'll get rid of the big clunky ballasts and wire them direct. They last longer and use less energy but they are kind of expensive. I've been slowly replacing the fluorescent bulbs with LED in the office & overhaul shop fixtures depending on use. It's nice to get rid of the ballasts. They were a pita to replace when they went bad. LEDs light right up too. There is no waiting around on worn out ballasts with the LED types.

Re: Shop led lighting
 

Got to weigh in here . I hate LEDs , converted my entire shop a few years back. Have
1 flurosent (sp?) above my desk in main shop ( you can buy the bulbs now , for a while you couldnt). The leds ( yes i bought the brighter bulbs ) are dim compared to the old ones.
I understand the energy issue but could care less , thats like buying gasoline , are you really driving 19 miles to save 10 cents per gallon and then buying 9 gallon ???? I have friends that do.....
On a role this morning.........

Re: Shop led lighting
 

The price on the 48 inch fluorescents are getting up there in price too. The ballasts that are available now are crap. All of our fixtures had 4 bulbs per unit with 2 ballasts and if one went out the other of the pair went out too. Most of them are down to just two bulbs per unit since they are bright enough that way. It's saved on bulbs. The last box of fluorescents was up there in price and they aren't as easy to source locally as they used to be.

I guess that's one thing about getting old, you know your old after well over half the things you used to use daily are obsolete and no longer available.

Re: Shop led lighting
 

Sounds like you have a bad setup somehow, the LEDs I installed are way brighter than the fluorescents they replaced. May be the older versions vs the newer ones.

Re: Shop led lighting
 

Guys,
Thanks again for all the responses and information. My need for high bay lights is because my attached garage/shop is also home to an airplane. On the hangar side the ceilings are high (see pic). I want round fixtures that can hang from existing hooks, am looking at the UFO product mentioned here and elsewhere. I have had some recommendations of 200 - 300 watts and 5000 - 6000K. Any additional comments/recommendations most welcome.

Re: Shop led lighting
 

I agree. LEDs are easily twice as bright as florescents. They make them in different light wave colors. Might want to try another bulb hue.

Re: Shop led lighting
 

Years ago, we started our shop with fluorescent lighting. Later, mercury vapor replaced that, and now we have all LED fixtures. Better lighting and a 45% reduction in the power bill. The power company also gave us a rebate on the cost. As a result, I also converted lighting in my home and saved a like amount. DON'T WAIT!

Re: Shop led lighting
 

All this talk of LED’s I went down and got a couple yesterday to replace my old non working 8’ fluorescent ceiling lights. Looks so good I’m going back for two more! Put it off for way too long.

Re: Shop led lighting
 

My garage had 22 standard 8ft fluorescent fixtures, and dad's garage here had the 8ft high output fixtures with the different ends on the bulbs.

I decided to convert all of mine to LED, and since I already had the fixtures mounted, I opted for the conversion bulbs. I got them from Amazon. They were VERY easy to do. All you do is hook them straight up to 120V. Clip the wires off the balast, and hook the black 120V wire to one side of the bulb, and the white to the other... and you're DONE.

The LED bulbs do a much more efficient job at converting electricity to light, so they are a LOT brighter, and put off a lot less heat. They also come on no matter how cold it is! Instant full brightness!

At dad's the fixtures were further apart and higher up, so I used the bulbs that have TWO rows of LED's. FAR brighter in the garage now! Can't say enough good things about the LED lighting... Nothing short of a complete revolution in lighting!

As for 'color'... 5k bulbs are white with no blue. 6k bulbs are daylight with a tinge of blue, and anything above 6k is a little bluish. The lower the number, the more yellow, and the higher the more blue.

One more thing... You can get bulbs with clear or frosted covers. With the clear covers, you can see each individual LED, while the frosted covers look more like a conventional fluorescent. I have some of both, and can see no difference in light output, but you do not want the clear covered bulbs where they are directly in your vision. The frosted covers are a LOT easier on the eyes. I wouldn't use the clear covers unless the bulbs were far overhead... and the frosted covers would still be fine there.

Good Luck!

Re: Shop led lighting
 

We'll have to agree to disagree on that one. My LEDs are MUCH brighter than any fluorescents. At least double the lumens. You musta got some crummy LEDs because the newer ones are super bright and a much whiter light.

Re: Shop led lighting
 

I used Greenlight depot in Ga free shipping.Fixing to replace 9 8ft but did 18 4ft

Re: Shop led lighting
 

When you use the led's will your garage door openers work from the auto's remotes? When led's came out some of them put out a frequency that blocked the remote's from working.